dont rush to judge them for being too stupid. doesnt matter if it sounds ridiculous to sue for not being notified not to swallow a penny, but when you have no insurance and a $50k hospital bill you'll stoop to whatever means you can think of to find a way to pay for it. i think it probably can't hold up as a real defense but something so innocent as swallowing a penny turning into a $50k nightmare sucks for everyone involved. their legal reasoning is just a desperate effort at taking care of $50k. there might be an interesting followup tag down the road. but also maybe not. but probably as a consequence no one at that zoo will hand anything inedible to a 3 year old ever again.

The Flexecutioner:dont rush to judge them for being too stupid. doesnt matter if it sounds ridiculous to sue for not being notified not to swallow a penny, but when you have no insurance and a $50k hospital bill you'll stoop to whatever means you can think of to find a way to pay for it. i think it probably can't hold up as a real defense but something so innocent as swallowing a penny turning into a $50k nightmare sucks for everyone involved. their legal reasoning is just a desperate effort at taking care of $50k. there might be an interesting followup tag down the road. but also maybe not. but probably as a consequence no one at that zoo will hand anything inedible to a 3 year old ever again.

Then the parents should turn to hooking or something instead of wasting time effort and energy as well as time in court (if it makes it that far).

Boo hoo, they have bills, we should feel sorry for them because some people have bills they will never pay off.

/Unless the kid is unattended.//Like in a restaurant, running around tables///Here ya go, lil Bobby Tables, play with this knife.

Kids will settle down immediately if a "stranger" (someone who works for the restaurant or even you at the next table) tells them in "that" voice, "Sit down NOW!"/been a mom for frickin' ever and I know everything that's important to know. so there.

/Unless the kid is unattended.//Like in a restaurant, running around tables///Here ya go, lil Bobby Tables, play with this knife.

Kids will settle down immediately if a "stranger" (someone who works for the restaurant or even you at the next table) tells them in "that" voice, "Sit down NOW!"/been a mom for frickin' ever and I know everything that's important to know. so there.

Yup. Kids will tone out their folks, but they'll usually straighten up when they see strangers taking note of their behavior. You just have to really trust that their parents aren't going to flip out on you afterwards.

Kids will settle down immediately if a "stranger" (someone who works for the restaurant or even you at the next table) tells them in "that" voice, "Sit down NOW!"/been a mom for frickin' ever and I know everything that's important to know. so there.

Apparently you don't know you should be parenting your crotch-fruit so that diners don't have to tell your spawn to STFU.

At 3, a child does not put everything into their mouth anymore. At 3 (and even leading up to 3), they know those simple concepts because you taught it to them. Most 3 year olds would feel special getting the coin and want to hold on to it...not use it as dinner.

If anything, get a second opinion from another doctor. I am NOT a doctor, but even passing that sounds mighty painful for a 3 year old.

Maybe the zoo person was dressed like a pirate, and said to the kid, "Avast there matey, would ye like a penny?" And the kid, then confused by the fact that the pirate seemed to know his last name went into a panic and swallowed the penny. Well, it could have happened.

I have my 4 year old grandson convinced that all you need to be a pirate is a hat and a parrot. My step-daughter appreciates these teaching moments, that I provide. I think. Don't even ask about giant clams situation.

Three-year-old Ethan Yi, hell-bent on self-destruction, attempts public suicide. Traumatized parents look for someone else to shoulder the shame, lest they slink back to their home country with lost face.

At 3, a child does not put everything into their mouth anymore. At 3 (and even leading up to 3), they know those simple concepts because you taught it to them. Most 3 year olds would feel special getting the coin and want to hold on to it...not use it as dinner.

If anything, get a second opinion from another doctor. I am NOT a doctor, but even passing that sounds mighty painful for a 3 year old.

THIS.

My 2-almost-3 year-old knows not to put stuff like that in his mouth. Why? Because we taught him that only food goes into his mouth, and "food" only includes people food, not the treats that he's allowed to give our dogs.

That being said, however, I think there is some sort of gray area here for accountability between the zoo, the family, as well as the doctor that told them "give it a few days and it'll pass."